A fresh and haunting approach to death metal comes in the form of Olkoth, a new project founded in South Carolina by guitarist Zach Jeter, bassist Brad Parris (Nile), drummer Joshua Ward (Rapheumets Well, Xael), and guitarist Hunter Ross (Rapheumets Well).

They are set to release their debut, self-titled album early in 2019, and to entice the masses they offer their first single and video, “Imperfect Reanimation.”

Coined as dynamic, cold, and haunting, inspiration for the band grew from elements of the occult, history of war and corruption, and Lovecraftian fiction. The single is a ferocious exhibition of the power, speed, and unbridled aggression that Oolkoth will quickly be reputed for.

Jeter tells listeners what they can expect from the upcoming album:

Our unique blend of styles and approach to writing we believe will be well-received. Our goal is to bring a newness and originality that will be a breath of fresh air in the death metal community. We will give the fans a taste of the sheer brutality we incorporate as well as the dynamic changes and atmosphere within our music. With further releases we will expand on that style and show our unique mix of violent riffs and diverse emotional themes.

The single was produced and mixed by Joshua Ward and Zach Jeter at Elder Verse Studio.

About Olkoth:

Olkoth was formed in Columbia, South Carolina, in 2016, by guitarist/songwriter Zach Jeter. The band’s music and themes are inspired by the occult, Lovecraftian lore, mythology, and corruption throughout history. In 2018, Olkoth was joined by Brad Parris (Nile) on bass, Joshua Ward (Rapheumets Well, Xael) on drums, and Hunter Ross (Rapheumets Well) on guitar.

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Savagery contains 10 songs that come at you like a freight train in the night, blasting you endlessly for 37 fine moments of pure, ear-crushing death metal.

With the title track, the album opens up with some sound effects that give the impression that a vault of evil, or the gates of hell, is being opened. Then, we get a vocal incantation that seems to indicate that we’ve brought pain and suffering upon ourselves, at which point we’re invited to “die.” As the instrumentation comes in, switching from one blissful channel to the next, it quickly become clear that we’re in for an onslaught of brutality — and the track delivers classic death metal. The guitar riffs grab you by the balls, the bass guitar nuances are eargasms, the drumming is relentless, and the vocals blend death growls with what sounds almost like black metal shouts.

The next track, “Seige Engine,” delivers more of the same, but speed and consequently intensity mount. There’s even a point toward the end, around the 3:40 mark, where you think you’re going to get a break down and some reprieve, but no, as quickly as that thought enters your bruised brain, Skinless come at you full of fury. Any sort of relief from the intensity only comes in about the last minute and a half, where we’re delighted to some haunting tones.

“Skull Session” has an intro that sounds like it belongs in a sci-fi horror film, not unlike Alien. After the intro, it’s more heavy riffs and brutality.

Just when we’ve thought we’ve settled in for a ride on the death metal train into hell, Skinless throws a curveball on “Reversal of Fortune.” This track, a short-lived two-minute instrumental, gives us a an acoustic intro that is, in very basic terms, incredibly beautiful sounding. Of course, it doesn’t take long for the electric guitars and the rest of the instruments to come out and play, but the established melody is maintained. This is a very welcome changeup, and it serves as the intro to “Exacting Revenge,” which seems to contain some kind of Dani Filth howls (or am I crazy?).

“Medieval” thus far is the sludgiest of the tracks, offering also the deepest grooves.

The sister track to “Reversal of Fortune” would have to be “Cruel Blade of the Guillotine,” which opens with an ominously evil sounding instrumentation that could fit on a Dio album, given his propensity for theatrics. Of course, Skinless break out of this and get onboard that death train heading straight for the gates of hell.

The Verdict:

Overall, Savagery is a classic death metal album with just enough modern elements to keep it relevant. The riffs are infectious and the melodies are addictive. It’s heavy and it’s high on testosterone. Guitar solos are solid throughout, although they’re not going to garner any “best solo” awards. The drumming is also solid, however, they’re buried in the mix and sound like they’re wrapped in bear skin, but they’re still not as bad as the drum sound on Van Halen’s 5150. Savagery is a fantastic example of how good death metal can be, while still maintaining its brutality. Playlist for sure, but remember that this album is about the journey, not necessarily about individual songs.

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’Bhopal’ is a high-energy track that comes bursting out the gate right. Lyrically this song deals with what is considered to be the greatest industrial disaster in human history. In December 1984, the UCIL factory of Bhopal, India, failed to properly dispose of tens of thousands of Deadly Methyl Isocyanate, leading to the injury and subsequent death of thousands of innocent civilians. Subsequent corporate attempts to cover up the incident proved unsuccessful.

Founded in Ottawa in 2010, with a singular purpose to transform raw aggression into music, Accursed Spawn mixes influences from old and new forms of extreme metal, resulting to date in a renowned energetic live show, and a handful of recorded songs.

Announcing their signing to PRC Music, Accursed Spawn will be unleashing their debut full length, The Virulent Host, next year in 2019. With a unique sound and style that stands apart from the crowd, the full-length is the next step in the band’s evolution of musical expression that follows a mix of demos and EPs since 2010.

Chris Donaldson, guitarist for legendary death metal unit Cryptopsy, applied his talents and experience to mix and master The Virulent Host at The Grid Studios in Montreal, Quebec. Donaldson has previously worked on records for high-profile names such as Cryptopsy, Beyond Creation, Despised Icon, The Agonist, Beneath The Massacre, and Neuraxis. Artwork was done by highly esteemed artist Remy Cooper (Origin, Beyond Creation, Psycroptic, Pig Destroyer, Whitechapel, Thy Art Is Murder, Cryptopsy, Suicide Silence, Arch Enemy).

The Virulent Host Track List:

1. Bhopal 84 (3:53)
2. Bloodforged (2:48)
3. Interrogated Bludgeonment (6:08)
4. The Virulent Host (4:56)
5. Cesium 137 (6:10)
6. The Ageless Curse (3:32)
7. Shotgun Facelift (4:22)
8. Mass Glossectomy (3:50)
9. Dogmatic Affliction (5:44)

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Across 10 ravenous songs, Worldwide Warfare aims to annihilate all who bear witness to its devastation. Doing so with a varied assault that superbly mixes brutality, speed, guitar shred-focused moments, and monstrous heaviness into a warped formula that only seasoned death metal veterans like Necrotted can deliver. Worldwide Warfare will strongly appeal to fans of Despised Icon, Thy Art Is Murder, and Dying Fetus.

Necrotted commented about Worldwide Warfare and the experience it has to offer:

The southern German death metal brigade Necrotted is about to release its third full-length album. Worldwide Warfare is the title of the new record, which contains 10 socio-critical tracks about a global revolution, everlasting threats to society and the last war of mankind. Thrilling guitar riffs, high-speed blast beats, and double bass attacks come upon stomping slam parts and catchy refrains, rounded off by deep, scratching vocals. Also, for the third time, the songs were recorded and mixed by mastermind Nikita Kamprad (Der Weg Einer Freiheit). The album mastering was done by Benjamin Stelzer (Parasite Inc.) for the first time.

Pre-orders are available here (for CD), and on iTunes , Amazon, and Google Play.

Necrotted – Worldwide Warfare Track Listing:

1. Worldwide
2. No War But Class War
3. Hunt Down The Crown
4. Vile Vermin
5. The Lost Ones
6. My Foray, Your Decay
7. Unity Front
8. Our Dominion
9. Babylon
10. Forlorn Planet

Necrotted Is:

Fabian Fink – Vocals
Pavlos Chatzistavridis – Vocals
Philipp Fink – Guitar
Johannes Wolf – Guitar
Koray Saglam (Rotten Pope) – Bass
Markus Braun (Cathedraline) – Drums

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Nightmare Future was produced by Matt Olivo, mixed by Toxic Holocaust’s Joel Grind, and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (Mayhem, Faith No More, Halford). Physical pre-orders and bundles are available at Relapse.com and digital downloads can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp. A complete track listing can be viewed below.

Spawned from the cerebral mind of grind legend Matt Olivo (Repulsion), Expulsion combines grind, punk, and crust into a caustic musical vomit guaranteed to stack the corpses high. Olivo’s partner-in-grind, Matt Harvey (Exhumed, Gruesome) was recruited over beers in a sweaty L.A. apartment to bring his classic brand of oratory assault. The additions of veterans Danny Walker (drums: Intronaut, Exhumed, Phobia) and bassist Menno Verbaten (Lightning Swords of Death) complete the fit-to-burn outfit. Expect nothing but the best of throat-shredding vocals, relentless blast beats, buzzsaw riffs, and raw bass tones. Expulsion will leave you horrified with their vile brand of classic ‘80s sickness!

Nightmare Future Tracklist:

Total Human Genocide
Altar of Slaughter
Mask of Fear
Nightmare Future
Funeral Bells
Compulsions
Comatose

Expulsion Is:

Matt Harvey – Vocals
Matt Olivo – Guitar
Danny Walker – Drums
Menno Verbaten – Bass

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The debut album is A Stirring in the Noos, and it will be released on May 12th, via Relapse Records on CD, LP, and digitally. Physical pre-orders and bundles are available via Relapse.com and digital downloads can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.

About John Frum:

The patron saints of altered states known as John Frum began its chronicle of disturbances on 11.11.11, in Philadelphia, and have been fermenting their bedeviled broth in the clandestine corners of their collective consciousness ever since.

John Frum borrows its name from a relatively isolated group of natives in the South Pacific islands, known as a Cargo Cult, who first used the alias John Frum as a means to reject European ways, escape oppressive missionaries, and return to their old traditions. The narrative changed, during the war in the 1940s, to reflect their encounters with thousands of American soldiers who spectacularly descended on that region by sea and air with crates of wartime materials dropped from the sky, known as “Cargo.” These events drastically changed the beliefs and lifestyle of the islanders as they took the soldiers and their offerings to be god-like, as they descended from the heavens.

Alt-religious narratives induced by these encounters were incongruent with islanders’ long-held beliefs, yet the natives could not deny the call of the cargo. Attempting to reconcile their existing beliefs with the new understanding of the outside world led to some strange interpretations which evolved into a bizarre narrative about a dark-skinned soldier-deity who resides inside a nearby volcano, and who many believe will one day return, showering them in riches and technology.

Like a planchette moved by the presence of subtle energies, John Frum functions as a medium for malefic musings. Existing at the intersections of perception, superstition, intoxication, ritual, rhetoric, metaphysics and mystical experience, John Frum welcome in the golden age of musical enlightenment with their first manifesto, A Stirring in the Noos. Nearly 6 years in the making, John Frum’s unorthodox debut maneuvers through 40 minutes of darkly psychedelic and meticulously crafted death metal, the backdrop of a bad trip. A Stirring in the Noos is a dismal distillation of oneiric transmissions, an aural reliquary of mis-shapen manifestations, and a totem to modern primitivism in heavy music.

John Frum Is:

Matt Hollenberg (John Zorn, Cleric)/guitar
Eli Litwin (Intensus/Deveykus/Knife The Glitter)/drums
Derek Rydquist (Ex-The Faceless)/vocals
Liam Wilson (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Ex-Starkweather)/bass

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Nonetheless, the band has released the official music video for “Darkly Dreaming,” which contains said wrestlers. The track comes by way of Death in Motion’s 2014 album, Dias de Los Muertos.

Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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Issues founding guitarist/vocalist Matt Harvey:

We entered the studio April 1st with our buddy Jarrett Pritchard (Gruesome, Goatwhore) to start the process and no, this is not an elaborate April Fool’s joke… All Guts, No Glory was more of a straight-up speeding attack, Necrocracy had a bit more focus on groove and incorporating some mid-paced stuff in there, and this one is gonna be a lot darker. It’s a concept album, which is a first for us, so expect some new twists on our tried-and-true formula: one part late ’80s death metal, half a cup of German/Canadian/Bay Area thrash, a dash of grindcore, crossover, and crust, and the occasional, well-concealed, Hall And Oates rip-off.

Exhumed has also confirmed a string of European tour dates this June, which includes a performance at Hellfest and follow their North American appearances at Modified Ghost Festival II in Vancouver and the Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore in May.

Exhumed Tour Dates:

5/25/2017 Modified Ghost Festival II – Vancouver, BC
5/27/2017 Maryland Deathfest – Baltimore, MD
6/09/2017 Grenswerk – Venlo, NL
6/10/2017 TBA
6/11/2017 Underworld – London, UK
6/12/2017 MOD – St. Petersburg, RU
6/13/2017 Volta – Moscow, RU
6/14/2017 Goldgrube – Kassel, DE
6/15/2017 Magasin4 – Brussels, BL
6/16/2017 Hellfest 2017 – Clisson, FR
6/17/2017 Metropool – Hengelo, NL
6/18/2017 Paard – The Hauge, NL

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How long has music been taking aim at politics, social injustices, corrupt governments, war, organized religion… ? At least since Dope’s cover of Ministry’s “Thieves,” or the ‘60s, or…

And now, Austin, Texas’ death metal unit is taking on radicalized religion (i.e., terrorists) with their new track, “Even the Gods Will Burn.” This is definitely for fans who like heavy, crunchy riffs, and throat-shredding vocals.

Vocalist/guitarist Alex Citrone commented on the track:

This is definitely the thrashiest, fastest track on the record and stands apart from the other songs for that reason. Thematically it’s about the destructive nature of radicalized religion, regardless of what that religion is.

“Even the Gods Will Burn” appears on Sigil’s upcoming debut album, Kingdom of the Grave, which will be released on April 7, 2017, via Horror Pain Gor Death Productions.

Citrone also commented on the album:

Kingdom of the Grave is pure, raw death metal with an explosive energy to it. It has themes of the occult, suicide, police brutality, and a dystopian future. Fans of the old and new school will find something to love.

In addition to checking out “Even the Gods Will Burn,” listen to the album’s title track, “Kingdom Of The Grave,” below:

Pre-order the CD for only $10 with free shipping from HPGDP here. Pre-order the digital download for only $6.66 here.

In additional news, Sigil will be hosting their local CD launch in Austin, Texas, on April 7th, at The Lost Well with support from Califorina’s Apothesary and Dallas bands Blood Royale and Maldevera. Full details can be found here.

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The album, which marks the debut of their new lineup with vocalist Nany Yates, will be a joint release through Nuktemeron Productions, Odicelaf Records, Impaled Records, and The Metal Vox.

Thou Shalt Not Forgive Fate is the direct follow-up to 2016’s Thou Shalt Not Forgive Fate.

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